HOLYOKE – Buying homes and paying off debt – especially student loans – were among the popular dreams of potential Powerball lottery winners interviewed at the Holyoke Mall at Ingleside Monday.

New cars and ‘nice’ Christmas gifts for the family were also high on the lists of hopefuls.

And why not? With a $425 million multi-state jackpot, there would be still be plenty left over.

Some holiday shoppers Monday said they were not regular lottery players but will consider purchasing at least one ticket for Wednesday’s record Powerball prize.

The Wednesday jackpot jumped to at least $425 million because no one won Saturday’s drawing, which had risen to $327 million. The final amount could go higher, according to Iowa Lottery spokesman Mary Neubauer. The $425 million jackpot is paid out over 29 years. Those who choose to take a one-time cash payment will settle for $278.3 million.

Marcus Johnson

Tickets for the drawing must be purchased by 8:59 p.m. Wednesday.

Lottery tickets are not sold at the mall, but at the Country Trading Post in Chicopee, a popular lottery destination, Alicia Lewicki reported “pretty steady” ticket sales. “It will pick up as we get closer to Wednesday’s drawing. That is always the trend,” said Lewicki.

“The higher the prize the more tickets sold, and the amount is on the minds of many customers,” she said.

Window shopping at Holyoke Mall, Marcus Johnson said he “normally does not play the lottery but I will consider a ticket at this amount.”

If he wins, the Holyoke resident will spend his winnings on real estate.

“It might be quite interesting,” said Jackson E. Earle of Phillipston who was shopping with Caitlyn M. McBride of Templeton.

“I’d pay off my school loans with the winnings,” Earle said.

McBride said she would use his winnings to “buy shoes.”

‘Wow’ was Rosa Rivera’s reaction to the $425 million jackpot, while the amount left Jose Roland, both of Brooklyn, N.Y. wondering what he would do if they win.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I would use some of it to help the poor, donate some to others. Then I would buy a new house,” Roland said.

Austin S. Ordoyne and Ashley C. Tebaldi of Agawam consider what they would do with $425 million.The Republican / Dave Roback

Ashley C. Tebaldi of Agawam will buy “nice Christmas presents for my family and a house.”

Her shopping partner Austin S. Ordoyne of Westfield added a new car to the equation, along with paying off student debt.

“Yea, get rid of student debt,” said Tebaldi.

“Pay off all loans and be debt free,” added Ordoyne.

At the Trading Post, Lewicki said she would share the jackpot with her family.

Before giving up the day job, lottery players would do well to remember that the odds of winning Powerball are 1 in 175,223,510. In contrast, according to the National Weather Service, the odds of being hit by lightning in a given year are about 1 in 1 million. The odds of being hit by lightning in an 80-year life are about 1 in 10,000.

In 2006, Powerball’s jackpot reached it current record of $365 million and was won by a group of employees at ConAgra Foods in Lincoln, Neb.

Powerball is played in 42 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.